The Gambit with Perfection (The Phantom of the Earth Book 2)
Page 23
The distraction of ice and pain and death overwhelmed his defenses. He wept.
I’m stronger than this. So much stronger …
The Polemon stronghold.
Silence.
Tell me where it is.
Silence.
Tell me, or when I find Connor I’m going to make him beg for death.
She splintered his mind.
Jeremiah convulsed before he regained control. His youngest boy lived. That’s all that mattered. He sent, From it the blood of our kin will flow.
Her boot straddled his neck.
“Let me tell you something,” she said aloud, demanding, “I wish I could kill you right here. Slow. Painful. Much worse than anything you’ve endured thus far—”
Atticus won’t let you, will he?
The pressure released. Jeremiah’s breathing resumed. Isabelle leaned over him, spying, searching, sifting, lifting the doors that led to memories that led to images and mazes and nothingness. He felt the fire that burned beneath her skin.
I’ll break you. I’ll find Connor. I’ll find the BP. I’ll send them all to the surface, because of you.
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading The Gambit with Perfection, the second book in The Phantom of the Earth series. I hope you enjoyed it. The supplemental material beyond this note contains Marstone’s Database and Appendixes 1-6. I thought long and hard about whether or not to include this material in each book or simply provide it on my website. In the end, I included the material based in part on beta reader feedback and in part because I think it provides useful perspective into the characters and world building of the Phantom Series.
Please visit http://www.raedenzen.com/ for more information including a form for my newsletter, details about the first five books in the Phantom Series (all available now on Amazon), the spectacular concept art, detailed maps, and PDF versions of Marstone’s Database (labeled by book; to avoid spoilers, don’t skip ahead), Appendixes 1-6, charts, and graphs. I also included a page to credit the team; over the last three years, a talented group of more than thirty people, including readers, editors, scientists, and artists, among others, from six countries and three continents helped me put this project together. I also listed them, and other inspirational sources, in the acknowledgments on the product page and at the end of the book.
Finally, I’d greatly appreciate it if you could post a review to Amazon. Reviews are a great way for fellow readers to discover a new series like The Phantom of the Earth and for new writers like me to learn from mistakes and improve. Please feel free to email me at raedenzen@gmail.com with any other feedback you’d like to share with me.
August 2015
—Raeden Zen
Independent Author
Marstone’s Database
LIVE TO SERVE. SERVE TO LIVE.
Marstone’s Database contains classified dossiers on citizens of the Great Commonwealth of Beimeni. All information herein is the property of the Department of Communications and Commonwealth Relations, and the Office of the Chancellor. This iteration of the database was derived from Marstone for the government and is current as of the 108th day of the year 368 AR.
Citizen: Hyacinth Adao
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 180 centimeters (5’ 11”) WEIGHT: 62 kilograms (137 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Blonde, red, brown EYE COLOR: Gold, silver BIRTH YEAR: 173 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 187 AR
DEVELOPER: House Navita BIRTHPLACE: Livelle City, Natura, Underground West ETERNAL PARTNER: Pierre Adao LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Second Ward, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: Neka Adao, Tex Adao ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former RDD scientist; Harpoon developer THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Pierre Adao
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 203 centimeters (6’ 8”) WEIGHT: 86 kilograms (190 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Blue-violet EYE COLOR: Orange, silver BIRTH YEAR: 188 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 199 AR
DEVELOPER: House Zwillerzweller BIRTHPLACE: Angeles City, Angeles, Underground West ETERNAL PARTNER: Hyacinth Adao LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Second Ward, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: Neka Adao, Tex Adao ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: Constructed E. decontamination, a synism designed to ingest nitrogen gas, used by the Reassortment Strain to obtain energy NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former RDD scientist; Harpoon developer THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Vastar Alalia (deceased)
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 198 centimeters (6’ 6”) WEIGHT: 101 kilograms (223 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Yellow-green EYE COLOR: Red-orange
BIRTH YEAR: 127 AR
AUCTION YEAR: N/A
DEVELOPER: House Phanes BIRTHPLACE: Livelle city-state ETERNAL PARTNER: Previous: Donna Dupree (deceased); Present: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Comb Cove, Gallia, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: Farro Alalia (deceased), Zentaro Alalia (deceased) ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: N/A NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former commander of the strike teams THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): N/A
Citizen: Orsino Algol
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 188 centimeters (6’ 2”) WEIGHT: 105 kilograms (231 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Greenish-gold EYE COLOR: Bluish-brown
BIRTH YEAR: 247 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 254 AR
DEVELOPER: House Perunineian BIRTHPLACE: Xerean City, Xerean, Underground North ETERNAL PARTNER: Svana Wenelow LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Second Ward, City in the Vale, Cineris, Underground Central OFFSPRING: Tahlia Algol, Dryden Algol ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Albian Consortium Granville sky engineer THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Arturo “Arty” Andretta
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 195 centimeters (6’ 5”) WEIGHT: 112 kilograms (247 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Dark green
EYE COLOR: Bright green
BIRTH YEAR: 288 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 294 AR
DEVELOPER: House Dragonet BIRTHPLACE: Arrowhead City, Columbia, Underground North ETERNAL PARTNER: Previous: Martha Tonian (deceased); Present: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Third Ward, Piscator City, Piscator, Underground South OFFSPRING: Perla Andretta (deceased) ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: No
NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former farm owner; former Block fisherman; BP spy THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): Five
Citizen: Valentine Antarés
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 165 centimeters (5’ 5”) WEIGHT: 55 kilograms (121 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Dark blue, green, brown, orange, yellow EYE COLOR: Reddish-violet BIRTH YEAR: 354 AR
AUCTION YEAR: N/A
DEVELOPER: House Nueleio BIRTHPLACE: Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central ETERNAL PARTNER: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: N/A NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Courier of the Chancellor THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Marius Arnao
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 218 centimeters (7’ 2”) WEIGHT: 115 kilograms (254 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Dark red EYE COLOR: Gold
BIRTH YEAR: 288 AR
AUCTION YEAR: N/A DEVELOPER: House Nueleio BIRTHPLACE: Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast ETERNAL PARTNER: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former Courier of the Chancellor; Lieutenant, Department of Communications Law Enforcement Division THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Marcel Auroro
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 198 centimeters (6’ 6”) WEIGHT: 91 kilograms (201 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Reddish-brown EYE COLOR: Light bluish-gray
BIRTH YEAR: 367 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 368 AR (First Trimester) DEVELOPER: House Variscan BIRTHPLACE: Vivo City, Vivo, Underground Central ETERNAL PARTNER: N/A
LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: N/A NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Harpoon candidate THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Tatiana Avalonia
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 183 centimeters (6’ 0”) WEIGHT: 63.5 kilograms (140 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Brown, black, green, red EYE COLOR: Blue-gold
BIRTH YEAR: 287 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 292 AR
DEVELOPER: House Ectasian
BIRTHPLACE: Gaia City, Gaia, Underground West ETERNAL PARTNER: Ilario Matheson LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Lovereal Citadel, Silkscape City, Lovereal, Underground West OFFSPRING: Macaria Matheson, Yue Matheson ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes
NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Minister of Lovereal Territory, Underground West THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Oleryis Baltica
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 183.5 centimeters (6’ 0”) WEIGHT: 73.5 kilograms (162 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Brown, silver EYE COLOR: Blue-yellow BIRTH YEAR: 217 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 225 AR
DEVELOPER: House Olenikan BIRTHPLACE: Luxor City, Luxor, Underground South ETERNAL PARTNER: Charleigh Gabel LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Phanes Citadel, Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Minister of Phanes Territory, Underground Central; Supreme Scientific Board member THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Broden “Brody” Barão
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 198 centimeters (6’ 6”) WEIGHT: 103 kilograms (227 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Deep red-brown EYE COLOR: Bright blue BIRTH YEAR: 247 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 260 AR
DEVELOPER: House Variscan BIRTHPLACE: Portage City, Portage, Underground Central ETERNAL PARTNER: Damosel Rhea LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: Created E. agony, a synism originally designed to test treatments of Reassortment safely in the Beimeni zone of the underground; now utilized by Janzers in Reassortment batons NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Supreme scientist of the Ventureño Facility; honorary minister appointed to Project Reassortment; Supreme Scientific Board member; strike team captain THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): Two
Citizen: Hari Barão (deceased)
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 180 centimeters (5’ 11”) WEIGHT: 85 kilograms (187 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Dark red-brown EYE COLOR: Bronze
BIRTH YEAR: 237 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 244 AR
DEVELOPER: House Elenerysa BIRTHPLACE: Portage City, Portage, Underground Central ETERNAL PARTNER: Previous: Anastasia Lorealina (deceased); Present: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Seventh Ward, Portage City, Portage, Underground Central OFFSPRING: Broden Barão ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: N/A NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former energy associate, Gaia Power Systems Consortium THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): N/A
Citizen: Jaide Bartonia
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 178 centimeters (5’ 10”) WEIGHT: 66 kilograms (146 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Gold, violet EYE COLOR: Bluish-gold
BIRTH YEAR: 238 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 243 AR
DEVELOPER: House Polariasis BIRTHPLACE: Xerean City, Xerean, Underground North ETERNAL PARTNER: Fallon Uffian LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Gallia Citadel, Northport, Gallia, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: Lyall Uffian, Nira Uffian ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: Engineered Psychrophiles (cold-tolerant microorganisms) to live at temperatures below negative eighty degrees Celsius in order to support a refrigeration system based on the solid form of carbon dioxide (dry ice) NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former RDD scientist; minister of Gallia Territory, Underground Northeast THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Fuenzin Blaylock
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 196 centimeters (6’ 5”) WEIGHT: 91 kilograms (201 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Grayish-red
EYE COLOR: Light blue, red BIRTH YEAR: 327 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 328 AR (First Half) DEVELOPER: House Lochkafka BIRTHPLACE: Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central ETERNAL PARTNER: Tayla Vasiliev LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Piscator Citadel, Piscator City, Piscator, Underground South OFFSPRING: Armon Blaylock, Nadezhda Blaylock ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes
NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Minister of Piscator Territory, Underground South THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Laurent Calamites
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 201 centimeters (6’ 7”) WEIGHT: 100 kilograms (220 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Greenish-red EYE COLOR: Violet, blue BIRTH YEAR: 337 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 337 AR (Second Trimester) DEVELOPER: House Variscan BIRTHPLACE: Northport, Gallia, Underground Northeast ETERNAL PARTNER: N/A
LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: Constructed a form of Bacillus subtilis capable of building unmanned aerial vehicles NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): RDD scientist THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Vanya Canis
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 177 centimeters (5’ 10”) WEIGHT: 65 kilograms (143 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Reddish-yellow EYE COLOR: Greenish-hazel BIRTH YEAR: 315 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 317 AR (Second Half) DEVELOPER: House Adao
BIRTHPLACE: Starmine Village, Gallia, Underground Northeast ETERNAL PARTNER: N/A
LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: Created a synism capable of degrading environmental contaminants NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: Engineered genes of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway (CBP) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii expressed in E. coli (a nonphotosynthetic host), which led to a synthetic construction of Photosystem II (or water-plastoquinone oxidoreductase) and industrial production of hydrogen gas for energy production NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Supreme scientist of the Leguna Facility; Supreme Scientific Board member THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Hadri Carmen
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 178 centimeters (5’ 10”) WEIGHT: 66 kilograms (146 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Gray
EYE COLOR: Gray
BIRTH YEAR: 283 AR
AUCTION YEAR: N/A DEVELOPER: House Nueleio BIRTHPLACE: Luxor City, Luxor, Underground South ETERNAL PARTNER: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Beimeni City, Phanes, Underground Central OFFSPRING: N/A
ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: No NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former Courier of the Chancellor; Chief Justice, Great Court of Beimeni THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Glenys Carpathia
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 181 centimeters (5’ 11”) WEIGHT: 67 kilograms (148 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Brown, black, green, red EYE COLOR: Blue-gold
BIRTH YEAR: 277 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 282 AR
DEVELOPER: House Summerset BIRTHPLACE: Halcyon Village, Dunamis, Underground West ETERNAL PARTNER: Gilead Penirosenian LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Dunamis Citadel, Dunamis City, Dunamis, Underground West OFFSPRING: Louvain Penirosenian, Felda Penirosenian ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes
NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: N/A NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Minister of Dunamis Territory, Underground West; Supreme Scientific Board member THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One
Citizen: Tethys Charles
SEX: Male
HEIGH
T: 200 centimeters (6’ 7”) WEIGHT: 100 kilograms (220 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Yellowish-green EYE COLOR: Light greenish-blue BIRTH YEAR: 160 AR
AUCTION YEAR: N/A
DEVELOPER: House Lourenitis BIRTHPLACE: Livelle city-state ETERNAL PARTNER: Seuelia Eifelia LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: Palaestra Citadel, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: Octavio Charles, Veru Charles, Sonata Charles, Charlotte Charles ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: Constructed Methanococcus maripaludis into doorways as recombinants capable of destroying, then synthesizing plastic materials NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: Constructed C. acetobutylicum capable of producing biofuels NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Former RDD scientist; minister of Palaestra Territory, Underground Northeast; Supreme Scientific Board member THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): Two
Citizen: Yovela Cimmeria
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 180 centimeters (5’ 11”) WEIGHT: 68 kilograms (150 lbs.) HAIR COLOR: Purplish-silver EYE COLOR: Orange-red
BIRTH YEAR: 188 AR
AUCTION YEAR: 198 AR
DEVELOPER: House Phanes BIRTHPLACE: Angeles City, Angeles, Underground West ETERNAL PARTNER: Previous: Markus Segot (deceased); Present: N/A LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE: First Ward, Palaestra City, Palaestra, Underground Northeast OFFSPRING: Pierina Segot (deceased), Rishi Segot (deceased), Xarles Segot (deceased) ATHANASIA-QUALIFIED: Yes NOTABLE PROPER CONVERSION: Constructed E. radiation, a synism capable of detecting radiation exposure NOTABLE SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION: Constructed vibrio to act as rapid bandages for burn victims in cases where the commonwealth’s coolant systems malfunctioned NOTABLE OCCUPATION(S): Supreme scientist of the Montauk Facility; Supreme Scientific Board member THREAT LEVEL (ONE TO FIVE): One